Retribution
by MinkeOR
Summary: While on the run Doc suggests the Regulators take refuge at the homestead of a family he used to know. But he hasn't admitted what he knows will greet them upon their arrival.
1. Chapter 1

"Doc, are you sure about this?"

"You got a better idea, Dick?" The two men were standing on a ridge overlooking a small valley tucked into the hills. A cluster of a few buildings were nestled near a thin creek, the outline of fencing cordoning off sections of pasture. Richard and Doc looked down on the scene, silence stretching between them.

"I just don't know if we can trust these people," Richard said, shifting his weight and clocking the time to the sun's path across the sky.

"Do you trust _me_?" Doc asked him.

"Yes,"

"Then we can trust _them_," Doc turned and headed back down the ridge towards where the rest of the men waited with their horses. Richard followed, picking his way carefully down the loose slope. The group of six had been riding for several days, weaving over tough country avoiding the pursuit of the Murphy ring and hangman's noose. They had been debating which direction to head next, each posing it's own unique threat, with no final decision in sight when Charlie made an off-hand comment that he would just like a bit of rest. The casual remark spurred an idea in Doc, he knew the country they were riding through, but had made no mention of it to the other men. Until Charlie's confession.

"So what's the deal, Doc?" Billy called while practicing his speed and aim at a shrub next to Steve.

"They're down there," Doc said.

"So we're just going to drop in on them?" Steve asked, nervously eyeing Billy who continued to periodically aim his pistols in Steve's direction.

"Guys," Doc said, "I know what I'm doing. Just everybody stay cool and let me do the talking."

The group mounted up and rode up and over the ridge, leaving a trail of dust from their horses. As they approached the buildings a group of children in the big yard came into view, running around, probably playing a game. Doc felt his nerves begin to rise, an excitement pulsing in his veins. While it had been years, the familiar rush was still overtaking him.

As the men approached, the children in the yard stopped their game and watched the group, their game forgotten for the moment. Doc halted just beyond the buildings and the other men did the same, but hung back while Doc approached the kids.

"Howdy," he said to them, smiling in an attempt to keep the situation calm. The children just stared at him. "I'm looking for someone and was wondering if y'all could help me."

"Who you lookin' for?" one of the kids, a little girl, asked.

"Is Esther around?" Doc asked, his eyes imploring the young child.  
"Yeah,"

"Can you get her?"

"Yeah," the little girl left the group and ran quickly towards the small cabin and disappeared inside. A few minutes late she came back out, followed by a woman who shaded her eyes from the mid-day sun as she approached. Doc followed her path towards them, let his gaze travel up and down her frame to take in the billow of her skirts and the men's shirt that she wore, before allowing his eyes to settle on the swing of her hips as she walked. His breath caught in his throat. She stopped a few feet from him, the group of children standing between them, watching the two. She let her hand fall away from her face, her eyes finally adjusting to the harsh light.

"Well," she said. "look what's come this way again."

Doc smiled.


	2. Chapter 2

"What are you doing here, Josiah?" she asked, using his given name, one of the few people he knew who would.

"Well," he said, feeling a bit sheepish now, losing confidence in his decision to come here. "You see, the boys and I are in a bit of a spot-"

"What kind of a spot?"

"It's a bit complicated."

"It always is with you. And I would imagine you're needing a place to hide out for awhile," she said, eyeing the rest of the Regulators who were waiting a short distance away.

"Just a couple of days. We just need to get ourselves a good direction and then we'll be out of your hair."

"Of course," she said, "well I can't very well turn you away now that you're here."

"Thanks so much, Esther, we really appreciate it,"

"But let's get this straight," she interrupted. "You can stay, but it's not because I want you to." She turned back towards the house and started to walk away leaving Doc standing with the children still watching him, waiting for his response. Doc just sighed, watching the woman walk back to the house, her words burning in his ears. Yes, it certainly had been a long time.

Esther hadn't been expecting anything of note to happen that day, but when her little sister, Danielle, had run into the cabin and pulled her along all the while saying that a man was outside looking for her, she got a feeling in the pit of her stomach, a worry at the thought of a stranger in their midst. But as it turned out the man waiting was no stranger, far from it actually. She recognized him as soon as she saw him. How could she have forgotten that blond hair, those smiling eyes and the easy turn of his mouth. She knew his silhouette and profile, and felt the yearning when she saw him standing there, remembered how she used to turn towards the ridge, willing him to appear. But now that he finally had it wasn't the same. She had given up the hope that he would come back, and felt that he had no right to return.

Back inside the cabin she stormed past her mother who was bent over a darning project and went straight back to the long kitchen table where the challah bread she had been kneading was waiting for her. She picked up the springy dough and slammed it against the thick wood, pouring her frustrations out on the thick wood. Her mother looked up.

"Dear," the older woman said. "don't be to harsh with the dough. You'll ruin it if you're not careful."

"I'm sorry, mother," she said, throwing the dough down in emphasis.

"What's the matter? And what did Danielle want anyways?"

"Josiah is back."

"What?"

"He needs a place to stay for a few days. He's riding with a new group, and I told him he could stay."

"Well I'm glad you did, it will be good to see him again." The older woman went to the window and pulled the thin curtain back, scanning the yard. "Where is he?"

"Probably out around the barns, letting his horse have a rest. He knows where everything is."

"Yes, of course. Dear, please! Careful with the bread."

Esther looked down at her hands poised above the table ready to throw the dough down again. She felt slightly ashamed for letting her anger get the best of her in the moment. "I'm sorry," she said. Her mother smiled gently at her. The two women stood at odds but connected for the moment, each one feeling the tension the unexpected visitor brought to the home.


	3. Chapter 3

Doc pulled the saddle from his horse and placed it horn down on the ground. He brushed his hands over the animal's sweaty back, scratching and smoothing the hair down before turning it loose in a small paddock behind the barn. He leaned against the railing and watched as it nosed the dirt, picking along for any vegetation it could find. Richard came to stand by his side, putting a foot up on the lowest rung of the fence.

"Who are these people, Doc," he asked.

"Old friends, Dick,"

"That girl," Richard replied. "she didn't look to friendly. Now I don't care if you go jerking around Charley or Steve on this, but I'd appreciate some truth from you. Who are these people?"

Doc looked his friend and knew was right. He'd have to come clean eventually, at least to Dick. "I've known them for a long time," he said. "close to five years I would imagine. But it's been awhile since I've been out here. That girl, I used to ride with her brother. Quiet kid, barely said a word but never missed anything, you know. Quick with a pistol, better than any of us I reckon."

"So where is he?" Richard asked.

"Few years back he got himself caught up in bed with another man's wife. To top it off he'd swindled this guy out of considerable money in a card game."

"Shit."

"No kidding. The kid didn't have a chance. Man shot him dead in the bed next to the wife. I had to come out and tell his mother that he was dead. Awful thing to have to do, Dick, to have to give someone the news their son is dead. She didn't blame me, but his sister, well she took it pretty hard."

"So that why she seemed less than happy to see you?"

"Yeah," Doc bit his lower lip, forcing himself to keep quiet about why he knew the girl was angry. But Dick didn't seem to notice and that was quite all right. They stood in silence with each other, watching their horses until they heard a woman's voice calling.

"Mr. Scurlock!" she yelled around the corner of the barn, spying the two men and bringing their attention back to the present.

"Howdy!" Doc replied, a smile spreading over his features as he approached the older woman. "How you doing, Mrs. Levy?"

"Why I'm doing just fine," she said as the two embraced. "My daughter said you were around so I figured I'd best come see for myself." She eyed the other men who had gathered, pulling her shawl tighter around her shoulders. "And who are your friends?"

"Oh, right. That's Richard, Charley, Steven, Chavez, and the kid there is William." Doc said, pointing to each in his turn.

"Pleasure to meet you all," she said. "I'm sorry but my husband and the other boys have gone into town for a few days, getting some supplies."

"Oh, that's all right," Doc said. "We do appreciate you all lettin' us stay."

"Now don't be silly. We're happy to have you here. All of us." She put her hand on his arm and drew his eyes to hers. "You should talk to her," she said quietly so the others couldn't hear her. "It's been a long time and I worry about her anger. You might be able to help her."

"I don't think she wants my help."

"Please try, at least for my sake." Doc could only nod at the woman, it was the least he could do but the thought of it, well he'd rather face a hundred Murphy men than have to face that angry girl. Especially when he knew he was the root of her anger.


	4. Chapter 4

The Regulators had been with the family for two days and Doc still hadn't gotten up the nerve to address Esther. She was cold to him at best, and most of the time flat out ignored him whenever they were around each other, which wasn't that often considering she kept herself up in the house most of the time. The other boys seemed to be getting restless, preferring to spend their time riding their horses around the valley floor and finding ways to test their skills against each others. Doc watched the sport from a distance, mulling over things with Dick about where they should head next, how best to avoid Murphy yet still attempt to serve the warrants they were charged with.

They were sitting behind the barn, watching Charley and Steve shooting at cans in an accuracy challenge and enjoying the morning sun while taking drags off a shared cigarette. Dick had settled back to take a nap with his hat screening his eyes when Doc saw Esther walk around the barn with a bridle in her hand. He jumped up and followed her as she approached a dapple-gray mare in the pasture, humming at the animal to get its attention.

"Where you going?" he said, watching her slip the bridle over the horse's head.

"Going to check on the cows, about time for them to calf and just want to make sure they're doing all right," she said, stubbornly avoiding his eyes.

"You want some company?"

"No thank you, I'm fine on my own."

"I think it'd be best if I came along with you, safer that way you know." She finally looked at him, her eyes cold and her hands on her hips and the reins from the bridle in her hand. "Give me a minute to get my horse."

"I'm counting," she said before beginning to tick off the seconds while Doc ran to the barn for his gear. Forsaking the cumbersome saddle for the moment he grabbed the bridle and ran to fetch his horse from the small paddock. Esther was mounted up by the time he got back, her skirt gathered up in front of her to allow her to ride like a man would, without a side saddle. Doc got on his horse, settling into riding bareback after not having done so since they'd left the Tunstall ranch. He avoided looking at the other boys as he followed Esther out of the pasture, but he knew that they were watching.

The pair rode west away from the farm, following the trail of the creek out towards the far ridge and the edge of the little valley. Doc followed, mulling over in his head what he was going to say once they had reached their destination. Esther seemed content to let him stay behind her, urging her horse forward anytime he caught up to ride beside her. Her refusal to partake in any kind of conversation was discouraging, and eventually it got the best of him and he rode in front of her. She pulled her horse to a stop to avoid running into him, anger written all over her face.

"What," she said, more of a demand than a question.

"Why won't you talk to me?" Doc asked.

"You know why!" Esther shouted at him, trying to steer her horse around Doc's but he refused to let her by.

"Look," he said, dismounting and grabbing the reins of her horse, trapping her there. "I know that you're angry that Avi died. But it wasn't my fault!"

"You could have protected him!" She slid off her horse and pushed at Doc, a few tears beginning to fall from her eyes. "You should have been watching out for him! You promised me you would!" Doc grabbed her arms and pulled her close to him, her whole body shaking with sobs. She pushed against him, trying to get loose but he held her tighter, letting her cry against his shirt.

"I'm so sorry," he said, his cheek pressed against the scarf covering her hair. She began to quiet, slumping against him and taking handfuls of his shirt fabric in his fist and the tears she'd been holding back for so long finally began to fall.

"Why did you leave?" she sobbed. "Why couldn't you have stayed?"

"I'm so sorry. But we both know it could have never worked."

"You promised me you'd watch out for him, that you'd take care of each other for me."

"I know, I know." Doc said. She fell silent, the moment stretching on as the two held each other in the mid-winter desert sun.

"I waited for you to come back," she said, pulling away slightly from him to look into his eyes. "I used to watch the ridge for you, willing you to come back."

"Things were complicated."

"I know, they always were for you. They still are."

"I left because I had to. I couldn't bring you anymore unhappiness than I already had."

She knew that he was right, that because they were so fundamentally different that her father would never have allowed him to be hers or she his.

"I know. Avi told me you never did like staying in on Shabbat." She winked at him.

"I'll take my church on Sundays, thank you." He smiled, allowing himself to settle into the comfort of a friendly exchange with her.


End file.
